Surprise and alarm device.



J L KELLOGG SURPRISE AND ALARM DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. "916- 1,204LQ31 Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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SURPRISE AND ALARM DEVICE.

Application filed August 9, 1916.

b all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMns L. KnLLoco, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surprise and Alarm Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The invention resides more particularly in devices comprising an exterior casing in separable parts inclosing, within a chamber formed therein, means adapted to hold a cap and embracing a spring-actuated hammer-arm which, when released to do so, as by the jarring of the device, will strike and explode the cap, whereby said parts will with some noise and violence be separated from eachother or blown apart.

I present my invention herein as embodied in a ball composed of separable sections or parts and containing an interior chamber within which the cap-mechanism is inclosed and which parts, when placed together to complete the ball-formation, closes said chamber in a substantially air-tight manner. The ball will preferably be in two substantially co-equal parts and constitute a hollow casing preferably in imitation of a pool ball, billiard ball or the like, although the exterior color or ornamentation of the ball is not an essential part of my invention. lVithin the chamber formed within the ball the cap-mechanism will be so held that upon the jarring of the ball said mechanism will be released to explode the cap, and upon the explosion of the cap the gas formed thereby within said chamber will cause the blowing apart of the sections of the ball, indicating or imitating an explosion of some violent character. The jarring of the ball for creating the explosion may be performed in various ways, such as by merely dropping the ball on the floor or on a. table or striking it with the pointed end of a billiard cue, such as in playing pool or billiards, and in various other ways not necessary to mention.

The sections of the ball may be connected together by a. piece of cord coiled within the chamber of the ball and of such length that on an explosion taking place the sections of the ball may separate to a suitable extent but not fly apart in an uncontrolled way. The cap-mechanism in the ball may be of varied construction, but I prefer ably Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916. Serial No. 113,889.

use mechanism of substantially the character disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,166,053 granted to me December 28, 1915.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a ball-device embodying my invention, the parts being shown as set for operation; Fig. 2 is a detached top view of the lower half of the ball-device shown in Fig. 1, the cord shown in Fig. 1 connecting the two sections of the device being omitted; Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through a modified construction of the device, the modification residing mainly in providing for the positioning, within the chamber of the ball, of the cap-mechanism horizontally instead of in the vertical position shown in Fig. 1; Fig. l is a detached top view of the lower ball section represented in Fig. 3, the caplnechanism being shown in position for operation; Fig. 5 is a detached top view of onehalf of av ball showing the cap-mechanism as held in operative position within a horizontal recess formed at the base of the interior chamber of the device, and Fig. 6 is a central vertical section of the same.

In the drawings, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 designates the exterior shell or casing of the device of my invention, 11 the lower half or section thereof, and 12' the upper half or section thereof, said casing being of ball formation and containing an interior chamber 13 within which the cap-mechanism 1a is confined. The sections 11, 12 match together to form a ball of smooth exterior outline, the inner edge of one section being 9 formed with an annular tongue 15 tightly entering an annular recess 16 111 the other section and therewith forming a substantlally air-tight joint and one adapted to detachably but with suitable firmness bind the two sections 11, 12 together. The cap-mechanism 14- is substantially that disclosed in my aforesaid Letters Patent dated December 28, 1915, and comprises a general carrying base or frame 17, an outer arm or leaf 18 and a hammer-arm 19. The frame 17 is formed from a plate and has corresponding sides and preferably also an apertured tongue 20. The outer end portion of the frame 17, that being the lower portion. when the device is in the postion shown in Fig. 1, is adapted to hold a paper-cap 21. The outer arm or leaf 18 is in one integral piece and at its inner end is pivotally secured between the sides of the frame 17, while at its other end said leaf or arm is extended to the forward end of the frame 17. The hammer-arm 19 is hinged between the sides of the frame 17,

' and a spring 22 is provided to actuate said arm when the arm is released to effect the explosion of the cap 21.

In the operation of the cap-mechanism 14, the hammer-arm 19 is first turned back or rearwardly in opposition to the stress of the spring 22, and a cap 21 may then be placed upon the outer end of the frame 17, and thereupon the outer arm or leaf 18 may be turned against the hammer-arm 19 to confine the same, as shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter when the outer arm or leaf 18 is per mitted to turn outwardly, the spring 22 will cause the arm 19 to turn forwardly with some considerable force against and explode the cap 21. When the cap-mechanism 14 has been set for operation, as shown in Fig. 1, it is necessary that the outer arm or leaf 18 be held under restraint, otherwise the hammer-arm 19 would throw the same outwardly and explode the cap 21, and in the present instance after the cap-mecl'ianism has been set, it is inserted within the ballsection 11 and its members 17, 18 are caught at their outer ends within a recess 23 formed in said section, as shown, the extreme outer ends of the members 17, 18 being by means of the spring 22 engaged with opposite walls of the recess 23, whereby the members 17, 18, 19, are not only held under restraint but the cap-mechanism itself is held with some degree of firmness in position within the ball-section 11 ready when relieved of the restraint exerted by the walls of the recess 23 to operate and effect the explosion of the cap 21. The recess 23 is of such character that the ball may be handled, without jarring, when the cap mechanism is held within the said recess, but upon the jarring of the ball the cap-mechanism will be jarred from the recess 23 and thereupon the outer arm or leaf 18 will be thrown outwardly and the hammer-arm 19 will be driven against the cap 21.

After the cap-mechanism 14 has been set and inserted at its outer end portions within the recess 23 of the ball section 11, the ball section 12 is applied upon said section 11, and then the device is complete for such use as one may desire to make of it. Should the ball be dropped on a floor or table or struck with a billiard cue or rolled against a billiard or a pool ball or other surface, the jar. will be sufficient to detach the cap-mechanism 14 from the recess 23 and thereupon the cap 21 will be exploded and the gas thereby created within the ball will forcibly drive the ball sections 11, 12 apart, with a resultant noise caused by the explosion. The effect of jarring the ball and the resultant explosion is intended to surprise and to some extent startle those persons who may be near. I have found that the explosion of the paper cap employed in a ball of the construction shown in Fig. 1 will act with such violence as to drive the ball sections 11, 12 forcibly apart, even to such extent as making one of the ball sections strike the ceiling of a room; and to prevent a too wide separation of the ball-sections on the explosion of the cap, I may connect said sections by a cord 24, which will extend through holes in the opposite ball-sections and be knotted at its ends, as at 25, the cord being of sufficient length to be coiled within the chamber 13 of the ball and at the same time permit the ball-sections to separate to a sufficient extent to carry out the idea of the invention. I also preferably thread the cord 24 through the aperture in the tongue 20, so that the three parts of the device may he kept reasonably together when an explosion takes place.

The recess 23 will be of proper diameter to suit the cap mechanism 14, and in the present instance this mechanism is so constructed that it is adapted to the walls of the recess 23. A cap mechanism of different proportions might require a larger recess for restraining its two main hinged members, and hence I provide a larger recess 26, in the ball section 12 so that the ball itself may be adapted to receive mechanisms differing in dimensions or outline.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I show a modified construction of the invention, and therein number the ball sections 27, 28, respectively, the section 27 being formed with an annular tongue 29 closely fitting an annular groove 30 in the ball section 28. Within the ball sections 27, 28 is formed a recess or chamber 31, inclosing the cap mechanism 14, this mechanism being the same mechanism that is shown in Fig. l and comprising a base member 17, an outer arm or leaf 18 and a hammer arm 19, such as shown in Fig. 1, but which is concealed in Fig. 3. The ball sections 27, 28 may be connected by a cord 31 corresponding with the cord 24 shown in Fig. 1 and employed for the same purpose as said cord 24. The cap mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is held horizontally when set for operation, the outer portions of its base member 17 and outer arm or leaf member 18 being confined between. pins 32, 33, which temporarily hold the cap mechanism in its set position, but which permit said mechanism to be arred therefrom when the ball is dropped or struck or otherwise brought into contact with something with sufficient force to free the cap mechanism. When the cap mechanism is released from the recess 23, the outer arm or leaf 18 will fiy outwardly and the hammer-arm 19 will strike and explode the cap, with the result that the ball sections will be thrown violently apart. Figs. 3 and 4 are presented to indicate that the invention is not limited in every instance to any special means for holding the cap mechanism in its set or restrained condition ready to cause an explosion upon being arred from its restraining means.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I illustrate the restraining means for the cap mechanism 14 as being a recess 34 formed in one of the ball sections, which in this instance I number 35. The cap mechanism shown in Fig. 5 embodies all of the features of the cap mechanism shown in F igs. 1 to 4 inclusive, but omits the apertured tongue 20, and this tongue may be applied to the cap mechanism shown in Fig. 5 if desired. I11 Fig. 5 the cap mechanism 14 comprises the same parts 17, 18, 19 that are present in Figs. 1 and 4. The recess 34 has a circular wall, and when the cap mechanism is set for operation and placed horizontally within the recess 34, the outer ends of the members 1'7, 18 will be prevented from flying apart by their engagement with the circular wall of said recess, as shown in Fig. 5, and thereafter upon the jarring of the ball, the cap mechanism will leave the recess 34 and an explosion will follow the walls of the recess 34 serving the same function as the pins 32, 33 of Fig. 4 and the walls of the recess 23 in Fig. 1.

In all the forms of my invention there are present two ball-sections detachably connected together with some firmness, by a substantially air-tight joint, and within the ball sections is confined a cap mechanism set to become freed from its restraining means upon the jarring of the ball, and upon becoming freed to effect the explosion of a cap and thereby create a sufiicient force to drive the ball sections apart with considerable violence. I do not wish to limit my invention to the precise cap mechanism 14 illustrated in the drawings, since I am aware that this mechanism may be modified in some particulars without departing from the spirit of my invention, said mechanism comprising more essentially a base member adapted to receive a cap, an outer arm or leaf and a spring actuated hammer-arm, the hammer-arm being restrained by the confinement of the base-member and outer arm or leaf and becoming freed to explode the cap upon the separation of said base member and outer arm or leaf. Nor do I limit my invention to the presence of the cord 24, since in some instances it may not be deemed necessary to connect the parts of the device by a restraining cord.

The ball-sections will preferably be of non-fracturable material, is intended for repeated ing therein a chamber, a cap-mechanism '1 within said chamber comprising a base, a spring actuated hammer-arm to explode a cap and an outer arm to restrain the hammerarm in its set position for operation, and means within said chamber serving to hold the cap-mechanism in set condition and to release the same to act when the exterior casing is jarred, the connection of said sections and the confinement of said chamber being such that upon the explosion of the cap said sections will fly apart, and said chamber being of sufficient size to permit the cap-mechanism when jarred from its confining means to operate therein.

2. In a device of the character described, an exterior casing composed of separable sections held together with yielding firmness by a substantially air-tight joint and forming therein a chamber, a cap-mechanism within said chamber comprising a base, a spring actuated hammer arm to explode a cap and an outer arm to restrain the hammer arm in its set position for operation. means within said chamber serving to hold the cap-mechanism in set condition and to release the same to act when the exterior casing is jarred and a loose cord connecting said sections so as to limit their extent of separation when the explosion of the cap takes place.

3. In a device of the character described. an exterior casing composed of separable sections held together with yielding firmness by a substantially air-tight joint and forming therein a chamber, a cap-mechanism within said chamber comprising a base, a spring actuated hammer arm to explode a cap and an outer arm to restrain the hammer arm in its set position for operation, means within said 7 to hold the cap-mechanism in set condition and to release the same to act when the exterior casing is jarred, and a loose cord connecting said sections and cap-mechanism so as to limit their extent of separation when the explosion of the cap takes place.

4. In a device of the character described. an exterior casing composed of separable sections held together with yielding firmness by a substantially air-tight joint and forming therein a chamber, a cap-mecha nism within said chamber comprising a base, a spring actuated hammer arm to explode a cap and the hammer arm in its set position for operchamber serving an outer arm to restrain ation, and a recess within said casing affording opposing Walls serving to hold the capmechanism in set condition and to release the same to act when the exterior casing is jarred, the connection of said sections and the confinement of said chamber being such that upon the explosion of the cap said sections will fly apart, and said chamber being of sutlicient size to permit the cap-mechanism when jarred from its confining means to operate therein.

5. In a device of the character described, an exterior casing of ball-outline composed of matching sections held together in a substantially air-tight manner by a tongue-and groove joint and forming therein a chamber, a spring-actuated cap-mechanism Within said chamber for exploding a cap therein while said sections are together for driving the sections apart, and means Within said chamber serving to hold the cap-mechanism in set position and to release the same to act when the exterior casing is jarred.

- Copies of this patent may be obtained for 6. In a device of the character described, an exterior casing of ball-outline composed of matching sections held together in a substantially air-tight manner by a tongueand-gro ove joint and forming therein a chamber, a spring-actuated cap-mechanism Within said chamber for exploding a cap therein While said sections are together for driving the sections apart, and means with in said chamber servingto hold the capmechanism in set position and to release the same to act When the exterior casing is jarred, said sections being connected together by a loose cord serving to limit the extent of their separation when the explosion of a cap takes place.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and. State of New York, this 8th day of August A. D. 1916.

JAMES L. KELLOGG.

Witnesses ARTHUR Manon, CHAS. C. GILL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

